Vanilla Cream Cheese Panna Cotta w/Raspberry Sauce

First day of Spring, time for a light spring-like dessert. I love Panna Cotta and have made Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce but decided to go with cream cheese this time. Give it a try.

Fresh raspberries at the market, I couldn't resist:


Ingredients and Method:

1 small carton fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons Orange Liqueur
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup sugar
1 package knox gelatin

In a saucepan add raspberries, liqueur and sugar. On medium high heat stir and mash berries as the mixture comes to a boil. Immediately turn down to low heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In another saucepan over medium heat, add cream and half and half and sprinkle the gelatin over and let soak for 15 minutes or so.

Turn heat up and add sugar, split vanilla bean with seeds scraped (add the husk also) and stir until gelatin is incorporated.

Add cream cheese and continue to stir until it comes to a boil. (Note on the cream cheese, although the cream cheese melted there were still small "chunks" of it and I used a hand blender to smooth out the consistency. If you don't have a hand blender, you may want to microwave the cream cheese for a minute or so before adding to the cream and sugar and vanilla mixture)

Turn heat off and let "steep for 10 minutes or so. Remove vanilla bean husks.

In dishes of your choice spoon in a inch or so raspberry mixture. Then slowly add panna cotta so as to layer it. You can swirl it if you like but this time I left it in separate layers.

Chill for 2 hours before serving. A bit of whipped cream topping is excellent.


Enjoy! And thank goodness Spring is around the corner!